Comm 101--Introduction to Communication Studies information page


	Welcome to San José State U's COMM 101, Introduction to Communication Studies, online! If you've pre-registered for the class, email the instructor, Dr. Stephanie Coopman, at sjsucomm101@yahoo.com with your name and the message, "I'm enrolled in your COMM 101 class!" Be sure you contact me and access the class website no later than August 29, 2004, so you don't get a late start! ADDING COMM 101 is full; I can't add any more students. So please don't email me if you're not already on the waiting list. (posted August 20, 2004) IMPORTANT DATES mid-August—Email the instructor (do this no later than August 29) August 18—Access the class website August 25—Class begins August 29—Last day to start the class DESCRIPTION COMM 101, Introduction to Communication Studies, is an entirely online, upper-division class offered by San José State U. The class is required for all communication studies majors; however, students from any major may enroll. COMM 101 provides students with a broad introduction to the communication discipline, examining theories and concepts in four main areas: interpersonal communication, mediated communication, group and public communication, and cultural approaches. CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR If you have any questions about COMM 101, please email me, Dr. Stephanie Coopman, at sjsucomm101@yahoo.com. TEXTBOOKS The main textbook we'll use for the class is: Griffin, E. (2003). A First Look at Communication Theory, 5th edition (with CD-ROM 2.0). McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 0-07-282482-4. I chose this text for three reasons: (1) It's designed for students with no prior background in communication theory; (2) The interviews included on the CD-ROM bring the theorists and their theories to life; and (3) The textbook's Online Learning Center provides extensive support for students. We'll also use a supplementary text that introduces you to the basics of writing in communication studies: Bourhis, J., Adams, C., Titsworth, S., & Harter, L. (2003). Style Manual for Communication Studies. McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 0-07-284354-3. Both texts are available from Robert's Bookstore, the Spartan Bookstore, and Amazon.com. If you purchase a used copy of the Griffin text, be sure the two CD-ROMs are included. IMPORTANT PAGES Once the class website is available, and before the semester begins, browse through the class website to get an idea of how the class will function. Please pay particular attention to these pages: Checklist: procedures for completing the class; sign up for the class listserv Syllabus: course description, learning objectives, honor principle, assignments, grading scale, and more Schedule: describes what we'll be doing in class each week SUMMARY OF ASSIGNMENTS Open-book multiple-choice quizzes, discussion, chapter critiques, brief class assessment paper. WEBCT URL Bookmark the main WebCT site: courses5.webct.com TECH SUPPORT Browser check. WebCT College Edition (CE) 4.0 is not compatible with all browsers such as Firefox, Opera, Safari, and some versions of Netscape and Mozilla. Please go to the WebCT main page right now, click on "Check Browser" in the upper right corner, and make sure your browser will work. Do the tune-ups necessary if you have a version that is not compatible with WebCT. Help desk. Because this is an online class, there are occasional technical problems. I will do my best to help, but most often it will be a problem with your browser configuration, so please be sure you complete the browser check. For basic technical support, contact the SJSU Help Desk at helpdesk@sjsu.edu or call 408-924-2377, 8-5 weekdays. eCampus tutorials. Go to the eCampus Student Resources page for WebCT tutorials, learning tools, and learning resources. LET'S GET STARTED! On and after August 18, click on the "Create Account" button, then click on "Create my WebCT," and complete the form. You choose your own screen name (ID) and password. (Note: If you've used WebCT before, click on "Log in to myWebCT" after your click on the "Create Account" button and just log in using your WebCT ID and password.) Then you'll be able to access the class. I look forward to our online learning adventure! I look forward to our online learning adventure!